Uba Sani: Captain of Kaduna’s First 11

Separate, independent but complementary, the quartet works in tandem, tugs in the same direction and roots for good governance in Kaduna State. Right now, it is the core team and Senator Uba Sani, the state Governor, is at the apex of the leadership pyramid, followed by his Deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, at the subnational level. Indeed, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, the House Speaker and Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Minister of Environment, are next in the pecking order. However, the duo are outside the state structure but nonetheless, members are in the inner sanctum of government.

Visible, vocal and full of vim, the Governor is the hub where policies, programmes and state activities are incubated, distilled and executed for the common good. Likewise, he is the face of the administration, its Ambassador plenipotentiary and the chief marketing officer of Kaduna State Government. In fact, he has been everywhere, knocking on doors and selling the state to both local and foreign investors, in the last eight months. Indeed, from campaign to election, Senator Uba Sani been driving the SUSTAIN Manifesto of the administration, along with his cabinet.

Similarly, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, the Deputy Governor, is a pillar of support, a bridge between the past and the present, having served in the previous government in the same position. Besides, other senior government officials, including cabinet members, have been playing strategic roles, especially in policy continuing and consolidation, in line with the administration’s SUSTAIN agenda.

Ex banker, former lecturer and grassroots politician, Professor Muhammad Sani Bello’s pedigree is vast, spanning the financial sector and Ivory Tower. Likewise, his cool head and steady hands, as the Director General of the APC Campaign Council, provided leadership to the team in Kaduna State. Now, he is Commissioner of Education, a pivotal Ministry in human capital development. Similarly, Malam Samuel Aruwan, a member of the State Executive Council, is the Administrator of Kaduna Capital Territory Authority. Likewise, he oversees the Ministry of Internal Security, a familiar turf for the journalist-turned security aficionado.

Significantly, members of the State Executive Council, unlike in the past, comprise politicians and not just technocrats. In particular, Dr Abdullahi Aminu Shagali, former Speaker of Kaduna House of Assembly and the immediate past Political Adviser in the El Rufai government, is now Commissioner of Housing and Urban Development. Similarly, Alhaji Sadiq Mamman Lagos, two-time Chairman of Kaduna North Local Government, superintends the Ministry of Local Government. Above all, Dr Abdulkadir Mayere, former federal Permanent Secretary, is the current Secretary to the State Government. Mayere, a medical doctor, is a man of proven integrity with a calm demeanour.

Perhaps, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Mayere’s predecessor and Minister of Environment, is the most accomplished public servant in Tinubu’s cabinet. Balarabe, in a 40 year career, has been a civil servant, lecturer, political appointee and the second longest serving Secretary to the State Government, after Ahmed Baba Jidda, the SSG of Borno State who served for 12 years, under a military regime and two civilian Governors.

Naturally, like every leader, Governor Uba Sani has his kitchen cabinet and prominent amongst them is Alhaji Sani Liman Kila, a retired Comptroller of Immigration and the present Chief of Staff. Similarly, there is Alhaji Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, the best graduating BUK Law student in 1988, a Commissioner in the third Republic and former Executive Secretary of PTDF. Likewise, the Governor’s Principal Private Secretary, Professor Bello Ayuba, a journalist-turned academic, former Head of Business Administration Department, ex Deputy Dean of the School of Post Graduate Studies, University of Abuja, is on this short list.

Clearly, in spite of these galore of stars, across the state and federal levels, Senator Uba Sani is the team lead, having appointed all the Commissioners and the SSG, nominated Malam Balarabe as Minister and supported Right Honourable Tajudeen Abbas to emerge Speaker of House of Representatives. Briefly, these public officers constitute Team Kaduna, along with several others, that are shouldering the burden of governance, with Governor Uba Sani at the helm.